Suizokuken

Suisokuken: A Hida Farmhouse Reborn as a Tea Retreat in Musashino

Nestled within the nationally designated Natural Monument of Heirinji Temple's woodland in Niiza City, Saitama Prefecture, Suisokuken is a remarkable farmhouse that bridges the rustic architecture of the Hida region with the refined tea culture of early Showa-era Japan. Originally built during the late Edo period in the mountains near Takayama, this single-story timber dwelling was relocated to its present site in 1938 by Matsunaga Yasuzaemon, one of the most influential industrialists and tea masters of modern Japan. Registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property in 2016, Suisokuken stands today as the first nationally registered cultural property building in Niiza City, offering visitors a rare glimpse into the intersection of folk architecture, tea aesthetics, and Musashino's treasured woodland landscape.

Historical Background

The story of Suisokuken is inseparable from the extraordinary life of Matsunaga Yasuzaemon (1875–1971), known in the business world as the "Demon of Electric Power" and in the tea world by his artistic name Jian (耳庵). Born in Iki, Nagasaki Prefecture, Matsunaga rose to become one of Japan's most powerful industrialists, building a vast empire of electric utility companies across Kyushu, Kansai, and the Tokaido corridor. He played a central role in the postwar restructuring of Japan's electric power industry, establishing the framework of regional power companies that persists to this day.

When wartime national control policies forced the dissolution of his company Toho Electric Power in 1942, Matsunaga retired from all business activities and retreated to the Musashino countryside. It was during this period that he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the way of tea, eventually earning recognition alongside Masuda Don'o and Hara Sankei as one of the greatest tea practitioners of modern Japan. His tea name "Jian" was derived from the Confucian Analerta passage about attaining wisdom at age sixty.

In 1938, Matsunaga had acquired a late Edo-period farmhouse from the Hida Takayama area and relocated it to the grounds adjacent to Heirinji Temple, transforming it into his personal grass-thatched retreat. He named it Suisokuken and used it to entertain close friends in what he called "inakaya no cha" — rustic farmhouse-style tea gatherings that embodied his distinctive philosophy of simplicity and authenticity. After Matsunaga's death, the building was transferred to Heirinji Temple, and in 2002 the temple lent the property and its garden to Niiza City free of charge for public use.

Designation as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property

On March 11, 2016, the Council for Cultural Affairs recommended that Suisokuken be registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property (building), and the registration was officially gazetted on August 1, 2016. This made Suisokuken the very first nationally registered tangible cultural property building in Niiza City.

The registration was granted under criterion two: "serving as a model of form and design." The building was recognized for preserving the distinctive architectural characteristics of Hida-region folk houses — including its robust timber framing, adze-finished beams (chōna-bari), and the use of forked pillars (matababashira) at both gable ends — while simultaneously reflecting the early Showa-era sensibility for repurposing traditional farmhouses as spaces of cultural refinement. The combination of authentic Hida construction techniques with Matsunaga's own aesthetic modifications during the 1938 relocation creates a structure of exceptional architectural and cultural interest.

Architectural Highlights

Suisokuken is a single-story wooden structure with a building area of 93 square meters. Its roof was originally thatched but is now covered with corrugated iron sheets over the original thatch layer, a common preservation technique. The building sits on an east-west axis within the Heirinji woodland.

The interior is organized around a full-width central hearth room (irori-no-ma) that spans the entire depth of the building, with two rooms arranged on either side to the east and west. This spatial layout is characteristic of traditional Hida farmhouses, where the central hearth served as the heart of daily life.

Several structural elements distinguish Suisokuken as a fine example of Hida folk architecture. The heavy timber frame features thick columns and beams that convey a sense of solidity and permanence. The adze-finished beams (chōna-bari) display the skilled craftsmanship of Hida carpenters, renowned throughout Japan for their woodworking expertise since ancient times. The forked pillars at both gable ends are another hallmark of the region's building tradition, providing both structural support and visual character.

When Matsunaga relocated the farmhouse, he introduced modifications to suit his taste as a tea practitioner, adding refined interior finishes and design details that harmonize with the building's rustic character. These Showa-era adaptations are themselves considered historically significant, illustrating how traditional farmhouses were reimagined as spaces for cultural enjoyment during the prewar period.

Suisokuken no Mori: The Forest Garden

Suisokuken sits within a tranquil woodland garden known as "Suisokuken no Mori" (The Forest of Suisokuken), which occupies a portion of the nationally designated Heirinji Temple Precinct Forest. This vast woodland, spanning approximately 43 hectares — roughly the size of nine Tokyo Domes — is the only deciduous woodland in Japan designated as a National Natural Monument, preserving the landscape of the Musashino Plain as it appeared centuries ago.

The garden surrounding Suisokuken features winding paths through a canopy of zelkova, oak, and maple trees, with the changing seasons providing an ever-evolving backdrop. The autumn foliage season, typically peaking from mid-November through early December, is particularly spectacular, when the maples transform the grove into a tapestry of crimson, gold, and amber. The garden is open to the public free of charge and serves as a serene retreat for those seeking respite from urban life.

Visitor Information

The Suisokuken no Mori garden is open from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The garden is closed on Wednesdays and during the year-end and New Year holiday period. Admission to the garden grounds is free. Please note that while the garden paths are freely accessible, the interior of the Suisokuken building itself is not open for regular public viewing.

The garden and its facilities, including the Suisokuken building and the adjacent Momiji-tei pavilion, are available for reservation by Niiza City residents for traditional cultural activities, experiential learning programs, and youth education events. For facility reservations and inquiries, please contact the Niiza City Board of Education, Lifelong Learning and Sports Division at 048-424-9616.

Surrounding Attractions

Suisokuken no Mori is located directly across the road from the main gate of Heirinji Temple (平林寺), one of the Kanto region's most distinguished Zen temples. Founded during the Nanbokucho period (1336–1392), Heirinji is a training monastery of the Rinzai school's Myoshinji branch. Its thatched-roof main gate, mountain gate, Buddha hall, and middle gate are all designated as Saitama Prefectural Tangible Cultural Properties. The temple's vast precinct forest offers an unforgettable walking experience through ancient Musashino woodland, and the grounds contain the tomb of Matsudaira Nobutsuna, the famed "Wisdom of Izu" who served as a daimyo of Kawagoe Domain.

The Nobidome Aqueduct, a historic waterway that branches from the Tamagawa Aqueduct, runs through the area and is designated as a Saitama Prefectural Historic Site. Originally constructed in the Edo period to supply water to the Nobidome area, portions of the aqueduct can still be traced along walking paths near Heirinji.

The Niiza City Museum of History and Folklore, located nearby, offers exhibits on local history and cultural heritage, providing useful context for understanding the region's development from ancient times through the modern era.